Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



L. F. HOWARD. RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

APFUCATION FILED IUNE 25. 1918- INVENTOR H-r-vM/d Patented June 1, 1920.

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL r. nowann, or" nnenwoon nonooon, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB. ro rm:

UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, OF

TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- BAILWAY-TBAFFIC-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1920.

1918. Serial No. 285.695; This application filed June 25, 1918.

Serial No. 241.733.

To al I whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEMUEL F. HOWARD, a citizen ofthe United 'States, residin r at Edgewood borough, in the county of Hegheny andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Trafiic-Controlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway traflic controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the character in which a car or train is rovided with traffic governing means which operate to retard the car or train or to otherwise control the same unless such governing means is affected either continuously or periodically by suitable means in the trackway responsive-to traflic conditions in advance. Such control I. will herein term positive control and the ter ritory or portion of trackway which is provided with means for thus cooperating with the train apparatus is hereinafter termed positive control territory. One difficulty encountered in connection with systems of this character is the probability that a car or train provided with such governing means must at times ,travel over a portion of trackway not equipped with means for affecting the train carried means in this manner, which portion of trackway is hereinafter termed non-positive control territory. One object of my invention is the provision ofmeans operating automatically to render the traffic governing means ineffective to control the car 0; train while the car or train is in the non-positive control territory, and for again restoring such governing means to its normal controlling condition when the car or train again passes into positive control territory.

The present application is a continuation of my co-pending application filed May 20, 1918, Serial No. 235695 (which latter is a renewal of my application filed September 6. 1916, Serial No. 118,632) in so far as the subject matter common to the two is concerned.

I will descri e one form of traflic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying is a diagrammatic view drawing, Figure 1 showing one form of signaling system embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a viewshowing more in detail the means shown in Fig. 1 for transferrmg energy from the track rails to the governing means on the car or train.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the 'views.

Referrin to Fig. 1, the reference charactersH an H designate the track rails of a rallway over which traffic normally moves in the direction indicated by the arrow, said rails being divided into block sections A-B, B-C, etc., by insulated joints 2.

The block sections A-B, 13-0, and F-G, are each supplied at times with an alternatin traflic controlling current which may be of any suitable frequency, such for example as 60 cycles per second, these sections constituting the part of the railway which I have termed positive control territory. The intermediate territory (.-F, which is not supplied with such current is the non-positive control territory. 1 10- cated adjacent the entrance end of the nonpositive control territory is a short cutout -section 0-D, and located adjacent the exit end of this territory is a short cut-in section E-F, which sections are utilized for the purpose and in the manner hereinafter ex lained.

is a generator of alternating traffic controlling current, the terminals of which are connected to transmission mains 3. This current is supplied to the rails ofeach section in the prositive control territory by a transformer the primary of which is connected with the transmission mains and the secondary with the track rails adjacent the exit end of the section. The su ply of current from each transformer T to tiie corresponding block section is controlled by means of a track relay connected across the rails of the section in advance and at the entrance end thereof, each relay being designated by the reference character R with an exponent corresponding to the location. Each relay R is energized by means of a battery 5 connected across the track rails at the exit end of the corresponding section. Included in series with each battery 5 is' an impedance coil 6 which limits the flow therethrough of traffic controlling current from the adjacent transformer '1 to a negligible value. A resistance 6 is included in the secondary ch"- cuit of each transformer T except at location G to prevent such secondary from acting as a short circuit for the adjacent batter 5.

l t will be evident from the foregoing that when a section is unoccupied and the rails thereof are intact, the relay R for such section will. be ener ized so that traflic controlling current Wlll be supplied to the rails of the section next in the rear. When, however, a section is occupied; the relay for such section will be deinergized, so that traflic controlling current will not be supplied to the rails of the section next in the rear.

In order to render the governing means upon the railway vehicle ineffective when the vehicle is in the non-positive control territory, I provide means for supplying cut-out current to the rails of the short section C-D at the entrance end of such territory. This cut-out current differs from the traflic controlling current, preferably in frequency, and is supplied by a transformer T the primary of which is connected with a generator K and the secondary of which is connected across the rails of section CD. The cut-out current may be 90 cycles for example.

The cut-in section EF at the exit end of the non-positive control territory is supplied with trafiic controlling current from generator K, but no means are provided for governin this supply by trailic conditions in advance because it is desirable, for reasons which will appear hereinafter, that the supply of current to this section be continuous.

Located in block section A-B is a railway car or train which is represented by V, as a pair of wheels and an axle. This car or train I will refer to hereinafter as a vehicle. The vehicle V is e uipped with apparatus which is controlle by the currents supplied to the track rails, and which apparatus I will now ex lain. Mounted on the vehicle in advance 0 the forward axle thereof are two soft iron cores 7, 7 which carry two coils 8, 8 respectively. The two cores are located above the two track rails H and H respectively, as shown in Fig. 2, and are dis osed transversely with respect to the rails. ach core is preferably U-shaped as shown, and is mounted with its legs pointing downwardi When these cores are over rails whic are carrying alternating current, part of the magnetic lines of force which surround each rail will pass through the corresponding core and so will create in the coil on such corean alternatin current of the same frequency as that in the rail. The two coils 8 are included in a c1icuit a, and are connected in this circuit in such manner that the currents created therein by currents flowing in opposite directions in the two rails at a iven instant are additive. The circuit a inc udes a condenser 12, this circuit being tuned to resonance at the frequency of the traflic controlling current, so that current in the rails from transformer T, that is, the traffic controlling current, creates an alternating current of the same frequency in circuit a. This current in circuit a is employed to control a traflic controlling rela P, but inasmuch as the current in circuit a is too feeble to reliably actuate a relay of rugged construction, I interpose between the circuit and the relay suitable amplifying means, which, as here shown, is in the form of an electron rela M. This relay comprises a vacuum bulb inclosing a filament 9, a plate 10, and a grid 11 interposed between the filament and the plate. he terminals of condenser 12 are connected with filament 9 and grid 11 respectively, so that alternating current in circuit a creates an alternating difference of potential between the grid and the filament. A blocking condenser 13 is preferably interposed between condenser 12 and grid 11 as shown. The filament 9 is constantly heated by a battery 14. The plate circuit of relay M is from a battery 15 through wire 16, filament 9, plate 10, wire 17, stator windings 21 and 46 of relay P, and wire 19 to battery 15. A condenser 18 is connected in multiple with winding 21 to dis lace the phases in the two relay windings. wing to the variation in the liberation of electrons from the heated filament 9 due to the alter-, nating difference of potential between the filament and the grid, the current from battery 15 is correspondingly varied, which variation represents a muc greater energy value than the current in the circuit a. The alternating current energ in the plate circuit is sufficient to actuate t e rotor 20 of relay P.

Relay P controls a brake control ma net J, the normal or usual circuit for whic is from a battery 22 through wires 23 and 24, magnet J, wires 25 and 26, upper point of contact 27 of relay P, and Wires 28, 29 and 30 to battery 22. Then per point of contact 27 is closed when re ay P is energized, hence at such time magnet J is also energized. This magnet controls the brakes in such manner that when the magnet is ener gized the brakes are released, but that when the magnet becomes deener ized the brakes are applied or some suitab e mechanism is set into operation so that the brakes will subsequently be applied if certain speed restrictions or other traflicrequirements are violated.

Relay P of course becomes deenergized when the vehicle enters the non-positive control territory C-F. In order to keep magnet J energized so that the vehicle may proceed through this territory without restricmuses .for removing magnet J 'from control by relay P. This apparatus comprises a second '7 circuit 6 carried on the vehicle and including coils 8 wound on cores 7". These latter COIlS and cores are similar to the coils 8 and cores 7 hereinbefore described, and as here shown are likewise mountedon the vehicle in advance of the forward axle thereof. Circuit b includes a condenser 12" and a contact 31 of relay P which contact is closed only when the relay is denergized, this circuit being through coils 8 in series, wire 32, contact 31, wire 33, condenser 12", and wires 34 and 35 to upper coil 8'. This circuit b is tuned to resonance at the frequency of the cut-out current.

Current in circuit 6 controls a cut-out relay P", there being an electron rela M" interposed between the circuit and t e relay P" similar to the electron relay M. The terminals of condenser 12 are connected with the filament and grid respectively, of electron relay M", through a blocking condenser 13", so that alternating current in circuit b creates an alternating difference of otential between the rid and filament of The plate circuit or the electron relay M includes battery 15 and relay windings 21 and 46 and will be apparent from the drawing. A condenser 18 displaces the phases of the currents in the two windings of relay P".

The relay P controls a stick relay Q, the pick-u circuit for which is from battery 22, throug wires 23 and 36, relay Q wires 37 and 38, contact 39 of relay P and wires 40 and 30 to battery 22. Contact 39 is closed only when relay P is energized; hence itfollows that the ick-u circuit for rela Q is closed only w en re ay P is energize The stick circuit for rela Q is from battery 22, through wires 23 an 36, rela 37 and 43, contact 45 of relay wire 44, lower point of contact 27 of relay P, and wires 28, 29 and 30 to battery 22, It follows, therefore, that this stick circuit is closed only while relay Q is energized and relay P is deie'nergized.

The circuit for the brake control magnet J is provided with a branch around contact 27 of relay P, which branch includes contact 41 of relay Q. The entire branch circuit for this magnet J is from battery 22, through wires 23 and 24, magnet J, wire 25 contact 41 of relay Q and wires 42, 29 and 30 to battery 22. It follows, therefore, that this branch circuit is closed only when relay Q is energized.

The operation of the entire apparatus is as follows:

As shown in .the drawing, the vehicle V occupies block section A--B, whereas section B--C and section C-D are unoccupied.

ing to the fact that traffic contro ling Q, wires Relay B being energized, traffic controlling current is supplied to the track rails of section A-B, so that relay P and brake mag net J are both energized. The vehicle ma therefore, proceed through section A- without restriction. The rails of section B--C are likewise supplied with traflic controlling current, so that as the vehicle enters this section it may still proceed unimpeded. As the vehicle enters the cut-out section (3-D, relay P will become dener ized, owcurrent is not susplied to the rails of this section. Relay will, however, become energized because current of the cut-out freq uenc is supplied to the rails of this section rom generator K. The pick-up circuit for magnet Q is closed as soon as relay P becomes energized, and the stick circuit for this relay also becomes closed as soon as the relay itself closes, because relay P is deener 'zed. As the train proceeds into section --E relay'P will become denergized, but relay Q remains energized, because its stick circuit continues to be closed at contact 27 of relay P. The energization of relay Q closes the branch circuit for the brake control magnet J, hence the vehicle may proceed through the non-positive control territory without restriction. Asthe vehicle enters the cut-in section E--F, relay P becomes energized owing to the fact that traflic controlling current is supplied to the rails of this section, This opens the stick circuit for relay Q, so that the latter relay then be- J comes denergized whereb the control of brake magnet J is restore to relay P. As the vehicle enters FG, magnet J continues to be 'ener ized because, as shown in the drawing, re ay R is closed. The reason for the cut-in section E-F is to energize relay P and so restore the brake magnet J to control by this relay as soon as the vehicle enters the positive control territory even though section F-G may be occupied. It is obvious that if this-cut-in section were not provided and section FG were occupied, rela Q would continue to be energized so that t e magnet J would continue to be under the control of relay Q.

It is, of course, understood that if section B-C were occupied'while the vehicle V is in section A--B, relay P would be deener- 'zed, so that brake control ma net J would e denergized and the vehic e would be subjected to whatever restrictions are imposed by this latter magnet.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of traflic controlling apparatus embodying my invention, it is I Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising governing means on a vehicle arranged to retard the vehicle except when affected by traffic controlled means in the trackway, a portion of track equipped with such traffic controlled means and a portion of track not so equipped, and means adjacent the entrance end of the unequipped portion of track for rendering said governing means ineffective to retard the vehicle while the latter is assing through the unequipped portion 0 track.

2. Railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising governing means on a vehicle arranged to retard the vehicle except when affected by traffic controlled means in the trackway, a portion of track equipped with such trafiic controlled means and a portion of track not so ui ped, means adjacent the entrance end 2% tlfe unequipped portion of track for rendering said governin means ineffective to retard thewehicle w ile the latter is passing through the unequipped portion of track, and means adjacent the exit end of said unequipped portion of track for restoring said overning means to its control of the vehicl.

3. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territory, means for supplying cut-out current difl'ering in character from the traflic controlling current to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territor a vehicle having two circuits one inclu ing means responsive to said traflic controlling current and the other including means re-. sponsive to said cut-out current, and traflic governing apparatus on said vehicle controlled by said two last-mentioned means.

4. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplying alternating traflic controlling current to the rails of the positive controlterritory but not to the rails of the nompositive control territory, a cut-out section adjacent the entrance end of the nonositive control territory, means for supp ying to the rails 015 means.

5. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for suppl ing traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territo a cut-out section adjacent the entrance en of said non-positive control territory, means for supplying to the rails of said cut-out section a cut-out current differing from the traflic controlling current in frequency, a vehicle having two circuits resonant respectively to the traific controllin current and the cut-out current, and tra c governin apparatus on said vehicle controlled by sai two circuits.

6. Railway traffic controlling apparatus comprising a tra/airway divided into a ositive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territor means for supplying cut-out current di ering in character from the trafiic controlling current to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territory, a vehicle having two circuits one including means responsive to said traffic controlling current and the other including means responsive to said cut-out current, means for controlling one of said circuits by the other, and trafiic governing apparatus on said vehicle controlled by the said means included in said two circuits.

7. Railway ,traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territo means for supplying cut-out current di ering 1n character from the traific controlling current to the rails adjacent the entrance and of the non-positive control territor a ve hicle, a traffic controllin relay an a cutout relay thereon contro led by energy received from the rails and the former or the latter of which is energized according as energy due to the traffic controlling current or the cut-out current is received on the vehicle, and traflic governin means on the vehicle controlled by said re ays.

8. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territor means for supplying cut-out current di ering in character from the traflic controlling current to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territory, a vehicle, a trailic controlling relay and a cut-out relay thereoncontrolled by energy received from the rails and the former or the latter of which is energized according as energy due to the traflic controlling current or the cutout current is received on the vehicle, means for controlling one of said relays by the other, and trallic governing means on the vehicle controlled by said two relays.

9. Railway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-posltive control territory. means for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territory, means for supplying cut-out current differing from vthe traflic controlling current in character to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territory, a vehicle, a traflic controlling relay and a cut-out relay thereon controlled by energy received from the rails and the former or the latter of which is energized according as energy due to the traflic controlling current or the cut-out current is received on the vehicle, a stick relay, trafiic governing apparatus on the vehicle controlled b a contact of the traffic controlling relay W ich is closed when the relay is energized, a branch in the circuit for said traffic governing apparatus around said contact and including a contact of the stick relay which is closed when the stick relay is energized, means forenergizing said stick relay when the cut-out relay is energized, and means for keeping the stick relay energized as long as the traffic controlling relay is deenergized.

10. Railway traflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, means for supplyin trafiic 1 controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territory, means for supplying cut-out current differing in char acter from the trafiic controlling current to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territory, a vehicle, a traflic controlling relay and a cut-out relay thereon controlled by energy received from the rails and the former or the latter of which is energized according as energy due to the trafiic controlling current or the cutout current is received on the vehicle, traflic governing means on the vehicle controlled by the controlling relay, a stick relay on the vehicle arranged when energized to render the traflic controlling relay inefi'ective to control said trailic governing means, means for energizing said stick relay when the cutout relay is energized, and means for kee ing said stick relay energlzed as long as t e trailic controlling relay isthe stick relay has once become energized.

11. liailway trafiic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into a posiv tive control territory and a nonositive control territory. means for supp ying trafiic controlling current to the rails of the positive control territory but not to the rails of the non-positive control territory, means for supfplying cut-out current differing from the tra 'c controlling current in character to the rails adjacent the entrance end of the non-positive control territory, a vehicle, a traflic controlling relay and a cut-out relay thereon controlled by energy received from the rails and the former or the latter of which is energized according as energy due to the traffic controlling current or the cutout current is received on the vehicle, traflic governing means on the vehicle normally controlled by said traific controlling relay for permitting unretarded progress of the vehicle only when the traffic controlling relay is energized, and means on the vehicle set into operation when the cut-out relay is energized for removing said traflic overning means from control by said tra c controllin relay;

12in combination a stretch of railway track comprising a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, a vehicle, means in said ositive control territory for furnishing tra c controlling current to said vehicle, trailic governing apparatus on said vehicle controlled by said traflic controlling current, means for furnishin to said vehicle cut-out current distinctive rom said traflic controlling current when the vehicle passes from said positive control territory to said non-positive control territory, and means on said vehicle responsive to said cut-out current for rendering said traffic governing apparatus ineflective to govern the vehicle.

13. In combination a stretch of railway track comprising a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, the former territory being equipped with track circuits supplied with alternating trailic controlling current, a railway vehicle, traffic governing means thereon responsive to said trafilc controlling current in the track rails to permit unretarded progress of the vehicle, a cut-out section adjacent the entrance end of said non-positive control territory and supplied with alternatin cutout current, and means on the vehic e responsive to said cut-out current for percontrol territory comprising a plurality of track sections, means for each section controlled by traific conditions in advance for supplying traffic controlling current to the rails thereof, a vehicle, a trailic controlling rela thereon responsive to said traflic control ing current in the rails, governing means on the vehicle normally controlled by said rela and requiring that said relay be energize to permit unretarded movement of the vehicle, a cut-out section adjacent the entrance end of said non-positive control territory and constantly supplied with cutout-current, a cut-out relay on the vehicle responsive to said cut-out current,'means on said vehicle operating when said cut-out relay is energized to remove said'governing means from control by said traflic controlling relay and to maintain said latter condition until the traflic controlling relay again becomes energized, and a cut-in section adjacent the exit end of the non-positive controlling territory constantly supplied with traflic controlling current.

15. Railway trailic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway divided into two positive control territories separated by a non-positive control territory, each positive control territory comprising a plurality of track sections, means for each section controlled by trafiic conditions in advance for supplying trafiic controlling current to the rails thereof, a cut-out section adjacent entrance end of the non-positive control territory, means for suppl mg cut-out currentto said latter section di ering from the traflio controllin current in character a cut-in section a jacent the exit end of the nonpositive control territory, means for constantly supplying trafiic controlling current to said cut-in section, a vehicle, governing means thereon normally arranged to retard the progress of the vehicle except when affected by said trafiic controlling current in the rails, and means on the vehicle controlled by said cut-out current for rendering the governing means inefiective to retard the vehicle while the latter is assing throu h the non-positive control territory.

16. ailway tr'aflic controlling apparatus comprising a trackway having a positive control territory and a non-positive control territory, said positive control territory comprising a plurality of track sections, means for each section governed by trailic conditions in advance for supplying traflic controlling current to the rails thereof, a vehicle, governing means thereon arranged normally to retard the vehicle except when afi'ected by said traflic controlling current, and means located adjacent the entrance end of said non-positive control territory for renderin said governing means ineffective to retar the vehicle while the vehicle is passing through the latter territory.

In testimon whereof I afiix my signature in presence two Witnesses.

LEMUEL F. HOWARD.

Witnesses A. HERMAN WEGNER, E. P. CRUM. 

